PRESIDENTIAL CHIEF OF STAFF RAMIZ MEHDIYEV REVIEWS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000067

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS KDEM PHUM AJ
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL CHIEF OF STAFF RAMIZ MEHDIYEV REVIEWS
NK, DEMOCRACY ISSUES WITH EUR DAS BRYZA


Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Donald Lu per 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) Summary: In a January 14 meeting with visiting EUR
DAS Matt Bryza, Presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehdiyev
repeated long-standing policy that Azerbaijan is prepared to
give Nagorno Karabakh "the highest autonomous status" but
cannot agree to "give territory to Armenia." Arguing that
Azerbaijan is a greater strategic ally of the United States
than Armenia, Mehdiyev urged the U.S. to exert pressure on
Armenia to reach a solution to the conflict; Bryza cautioned
that compromises on both sides will be needed to reach a
solution. Outlining pressures exerted by Iran and Russia,
Mehdiyev argued that Azerbaijan needs to pursue democratic
reform at its own pace. However, he reaffirmed Azerbaijan's
strategic goal of democratic reform and integration with the
West, pledging that the GOAJ would create the conditions
necessary for a free and fair presidential election in 2008.
Mehdiyev also said the GOAJ had convened a group of experts
to develop recommendations to counter growing religious
extremism in Azerbaijan. End summary.

WE WON'T COMPROMISE ON NK
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2. (C) In a January 14 meeting with visiting EUR DAS Matt
Bryza, Presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehdiyev questioned
a recent statement by French OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair
Bernard Fassier, in which Fassier reportedly stated that
"neither Azerbaijan nor Armenia should get what it wants" in
the ongoing Nagorno Karabakh (NK) peace negotiations.
Mehdiyev repeated long-standing Azerbaijani policy that
Azerbaijan is prepared to give NK "the highest autonomous
status" but cannot agree to "give territory to Armenia."
Bryza affirmed that the U.S. supports the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan but said the Minsk Group is working
toward a peaceful solution of the conflict based on a
compromise between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Helsinki
Act's principles of territorial integrity of states and
self-determination of peoples. The Minsk Group's Basic
Principles also envision return of all seven Azerbaijani
territories around NK occupied by Armenian forces, and the
return of Azerbaijan's internally displaced population.
Bryza cautioned that such a peaceful resolution will not be
possible without compromise.


3. (C) Azerbaijan considers the United States to be an ally
and strategic partner, Mehdiyev said. He argued that Armenia
is a Russian "outpost" that continues to host Russian troops.
The United States has a greater interest in Azerbaijan than
in Armenia, Mehdiyev continued, and hopes that the U.S. will
tell Armenia that there has been enough "nonsense" regarding
the NK negotiations. Azerbaijan believes that it is in the
United States' strategic interest to resolve the NK conflict
now. Bryza affirmed that the United States seeks a
resolution of the conflict and welcomed President Aliyev's
expressed commitment to secure a peaceful resolution, with
2008 being a decisive year.

TOUGH NEIGHBORHOOD
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4. (C) Turning to broader regional issues, Mehdiyev said
that Azerbaijan's internal situation is "okay" (normalnaya)
and "stable" but that the GOAJ needs to maintain "balance" in
its international relations in order to preserve that
stability. Iran, Mehdiyev said, continues to seek to
influence Azerbaijan's internal affairs. Iranian
intelligence agents are working "very actively" in "every
region of Azerbaijan" to influence political and religious
affairs. The recent arrest and conviction of 15 Azerbaijani
citizens on charges of plotting terrorist acts at the behest
of Iran demonstrated the seriousness of the problem. Iran
can interfere "at any moment" in Azerbaijan's internal
events, Mehdiyev said.


5. (C) Russia also seeks to exert influence over events in
Azerbaijan, Mehdiyev said, "but we will not be the little
brother of Russia again." Azerbaijan is an independent,
sovereign government and seeks to remain that way.
Azerbaijan maintains "very good" relations with Turkey and is
pleased that the United States and Turkey are pursuing a
strategic partnership. Azerbaijan also maintains very good
relations with Georgia and, according to Mehdiyev, "gave
signals to the Azeri community in Georgia to support
Saakashvili." Mehdiyev complained that the U.S. and the
international community applied different standards to
Azerbaijan and Georgia, arguing that the U.S. and
international organizations praised Georgia's recent
presidential election as free and fair, when similar
circumstances in Azerbaijan prompted international criticism.

Bryza disputed this point, noting that the U.S. (and he
personally) had, in fact, criticized certain aspects of the
Georgian election and that he was traveling to Georgia later
in the week to press democratic issues.

FREE AND FAIR ELECTION IN 2008
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6. (C) Azerbaijan has defined its strategic goals, Mehdiyev
said: developing a strong democratic state and integrating
with the West. However, each government must pursue
democratic reform within its own unique context and
"mentality." "We cannot repeat what has been done in Georgia
or Turkey," Mehdiyev said. Working within Azerbaijan's own
context, Mehdiyev said the GOAJ wants to "create conditions
so that everyone is sure that elections are free, fair,
transparent and open." The GOAJ's goal, he continued, is to
conduct a free, fair and transparent presidential election in

2008. "We have a big plan of measures to ensure this is the
best election in Azerbaijan's history," Mehdiyev told Bryza.
While there likely will be minor procedural irregularities
and instances of family voting that reflect Azerbaijan's
cultural traditions, "there will not be falsification,"
Mehdiyev said.


7. (C) "Azerbaijan is a democratic state that will continue
on the path toward democratic principles," Mehdiyev assured
Bryza. "I can't say this (the transition) will happen in 2-3
years but we are moving toward this goal." Mehdiyev argued
that, in order to meet this goal, Azerbaijan needs a
positive, constructive opposition instead of its current,
"scandalous" opposition. He complained that Azerbaijan's
opposition parties write "unobjective" criticisms, citing a
recent article that alleged he "has a hand" in all of Baku's
television stations. Mehdiyev urged the U.S. to work with
the media to improve its professionalism; Pol/Econ Chief
noted that the U.S. has a robust training and technical
assistance program.


8. (C) Bryza welcomed Mehdiyev's affirmation of Azerbaijan's
democratic goals and pledge to create the conditions
necessary for a free and fair presidential election in 2008.
Noting EUR A/S Fried's recent discussions with Mehdiyev,
Bryza assured Mehdiyev that the U.S. seeks evolutionary,
rather than revolutionary, change in Azerbaijan. Bryza noted
that the U.S. continues to be concerned by the situation of
media freedom in Azerbaijan, adding that the continued
jailing of journalists is a problem for Azerbaijan's image.
Bryza reaffirmed the USG's continued willingness to help
elevate the professional and ethical standards of
Azerbaijan's journalists, but stressed that imprisoning
journalists can never be the appropriate way to address this
issue.

NEW PLANS TO COMBAT EXTREMISM?

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9. (C) Noting that the U.S. and Azerbaijan maintain
extremely good cooperation on terrorism and extremist
threats, Mehdiyev said the GOAJ is also working on new
measures to counter growing religious extremism within
Azerbaijan. He warned of Iranian stirring of Azerbaijan's
Shiite population, and Wahabbi extremist recruiters targeting
Azerbaijan's Sunni population. Mehdiyev said the GOAJ had
convened a group of experts to study current Islamist and
extremist influences and possible means to counter them,
"taking into account Azerbaijan's own traditions." Bryza
noted that embracing local traditions to counter foreign
extremist recruiters was a cornerstone of the U.S. strategy
to contain extremism. Bryza urged Mehdiyev to ensure that
the new GOAJ efforts take into account freedom of speech
considerations, noting that freedom of conscience is
important to long-term stability. Bryza also recognized the
genuine threat Azerbaijan faces from extremist recruiters
from abroad and pledged to work closely with the GOAJ to
counter this threat.

Comment
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10. (C) Mehdiyev, who directly oversees Azerbaijan's
regional officials (ExComs) and is believed to have a free
hand in setting domestic policy, will play a key role in
determining the conduct of the 2008 presidential election.
His assurances that the GOAJ will work toward creating the
conditions necessary for free and fair elections are welcome;
it is important the GOAJ take steps now to start creating
these conditions, by easing pressure on the independent and
opposition media, restoring freedom of assembly, and adopting
electoral reform and key anti-fraud measures, such as

finger-inking.


11. (U) Bryza cleared this message.
DERSE